Background: Circulating osteoprogenitors and RANKL expression in immune cells have been
implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and vascular calcification. The role played by
statin therapy in the bone-vascular axis is unknown.
Methods: Twenty naïve post-menopausal osteoporotic hypercholesterolemic women will be treated
with Atorvastatin 40 mg/day for three months. Blood samples will be collected at baseline and
at the end of the treatment. Gene expression analysis will be performed to assess
modification in OPG/RANK/RANKL expression in isolated T-cells and monocytes. A flow cytometry
analysis will be used to study changes in the levels of circulating osteoprogenitor cells.